Top 10 Places for College Students to Hang Out

There’s so much more to college than simply studying. For most students, college life mostly means hanging out with friends and having fun outside of college. So what are some of the popular hang out spots for college goers? Here is a list of the top ten-

10- Parks

A huge part of the day for college students is spent cooped up inside. Perhaps that is what makes parks so attractive a spot to hang out in, with their greenery and fresh air. Besides, they also offer a place where couples can make out (yes, it happens with hormonal teenagers), college kids can smoke (again, most people try smoking in college at some point or the other), play games and more. With their spacious construction and plenty of trees, parks are a popular destination. The best part? You don’t have to spend money or order expensive dishes to sit in a park. The downside? Bad weather can play a dampener and prevent you from chilling in parks.

9- Lecture Rooms

Sadly, a lot of our time seems to be spent inside the lecture rooms, listening to seemingly never ending lectures. From the time classes begin early in the morning to the time they end late in the afternoon, the number of lectures we attend (mostly for the sake of attendance, and only sometimes for the knowledge we hope to gain) take up most of our time. The good thing about a lot of lecture theatres, however, is that they are cool. For a lot of hostelers starved for AC or cool temperature in their rooms, lecture rooms provide some sort of a respite. Many students take advantage of the last benches to catch up on their much needed sleep. Many a lectures are spent passing notes, texting on the sly and playing games. Lecture rooms thus seem to provide students with a lot of opportunities to have fun, daydream or simply doze off.

8- Local Attractions

Outstation students who go to study in cities other than their hometowns are often found doing the tourist-y stuff- visiting popular local attractions. These can range from famous markets, town squares, street shopping hubs, old monuments and more. Local attractions are popular because students often find them to be a great shopping hub of local specialties. Even college kids who are studying in their own cities like to visit and revisit the local markets and monuments when time permits.

7- Lawns

Most colleges, whether newly constructed ones or those with old buildings, have great lawns. These colleges often pride themselves on how good their lawns appear. Some universities even hold competitions across colleges to determine which college has the best maintained lawns and grounds. While they appear deserted during the hot summer months, college and university laws sure fill up when the weather is good. Winters, especially, witness students all lying down, sitting, eating, gossiping and picnicking on the lawns, basking in the sunshine. They are also a great favorite for students who like to get wet and dance in the rain, though there aren’t many such. Some universities have common lawns where people from all colleges can chill together, like the VC Lawns of Delhi University. College lawns, with their lush green grass and pretty trees, make for a nice spot to hang out at.

6- Neighborhood Cafes

A lot of cafes seem to spring up suddenly within the proximity of colleges. It’s a good thing too, for Café Coffee Day wasn’t wrong when it said that a lot can happen over coffee. Countless number of first dates happen at local coffee shops over cups of chilled frappes and lattes. Forget dating, one can always find groups of college friends sitting and chilling over cups of coffee and snacks in these cafes. The easy ambience and good music that most of them play (coffee shops sure know how to keep abreast of the latest trends in music!) make them popular places for college kids to frequent. The good thing about coffee cafes, besides their comfy seating and friendly feel, is that they are also easy on the pocket, which is a plus point since college is a place where many students have to follow a budget.

5- Flats

A lot of colleges attract outstation students who put up at their private flats and rooms. These flats consequently become popular hang out spots for their friends. On those days when nobody seems to have cash to spend around or when no place seems worth visiting, friends converge at one person’s room and simply do nothing. Flats are thus a convenient and comfortable place where everybody can gather around and while away their time. They are an ideal place to get together, watch TV, laze around, sleep, drink and eat and generally be unproductive. During exams, they also make a great place for group studying sessions and swotting.

4- College Canteens

What better spot to hang out at during college hours than the college café? All colleges, without exceptions, have good canteens where students can be found in their breaks between lectures. What makes these canteens so popular is the fact that they serve delicious (or maybe not so delicious at times) food at reasonable prices, and also the fact that they are situated within the campus and are therefore easily accessible. When there isn’t enough time for students to go to their favorite food outlets outside of college, you can surely find them flocking to the college canteen and snacking on tasty yet affordable snacks. College canteens thus provide the best place for students to chill together over food and drinks during lunch or when they have a break between lectures.

3- Bars

College is a time where almost everybody experiments with alcohol. This makes bars and pubs a popular hangout spot. The most popular amongst these, unsurprisingly, are the ones that serve alcohol at low rates. While the posh and sophisticated bars at high end areas of the city are often left for the rich and the wealthy, college students can be seen in the not so expensive bars made specifically keeping in mind the fact that kids don’t always have a lot of money. A lot of laws demand that there be no pubs or liquor shops within easy distance of colleges, but that doesn’t deter students who want to celebrate the end of a hard day with alcohol. A lot of birthday parties are also held in these bars and pubs.

2- Malls

Malls have everything- food joints, shops, parlors, bars and the comfort of AC. No wonder they are such a popular hang out spot for students. Also, the very act of walking around in a mall is a great calorie burner. A lot of students like to spend their free times shopping or window shopping in malls, ending the day at the food court. They become all the more popular during the sale season, where hordes of students can be seen flocking to their favorite stores to take advantage of the flat 50 or 60 or 70% off.

1- Food Joints

Food joints and restaurants, naturally, are the most frequented of places by college students. One will invariably find a lot of food places in the vicinity of college campuses. These restaurants range from high end bistros and expensive eateries to reasonably priced food joints to cheaply priced places with questionable kitchen hygiene. All of these places, however, are almost always filled to their capacity with perpetually hungry crowds of students. The reasonably priced places like KFC and McDonanld’s, especially, are always full of students who want a break from the tasteless mess food or simply want to get together with their friends over some delicious food. These food joints also make for great places to celebrate birthdays at with birthday lunches or dinners. It is not an uncommon sight to find a table full of teenagers at restaurants singing happy birthday for one slightly embarrassed looking college kid.